Most people think of acne as a teenage affliction. But there are many adults with pimples, many of whom even had great skin as teens. Brie Wieselman studies an often overlooked cause of chronic acne in women. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is more common than many people realize. Even though it can lead to a number of conditions, as you are about to hear, it is totally manageable with expert help. Brie is a digestive and hormonal health specialist who works with women around the world in her online practice. She also specializes in helping people with a range of digestive issues so that they can build a healthy microbiome. Her programs integrate functional and Chinese medicinal approaches. I have personally worked with Brie several times and can vouch for her knowledge and expertise. In today’s episode, we dive deep into the issues surrounding PCOS and why acne is more than just a simple skin condition, but can potentially be a sign of a more complex hormonal imbalance. We look closely into some hormonal issues and how they are connected to the skin. The hormonal component of understanding skin issues is complex and it’s important to find an expert like Brie when dealing with it. Have you wondered if a hormonal condition like PCOS could be causing your acne? What have you done to address it? Let me know in the comments!   In this episode Some of the common causes of chronic adult acne, many of which people don’t even know they have What polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) looks like and why it’s more common than you might think What questions you should ask your doctor if you are concerned you might have a hormonal imbalance Why acne is often a symptom of a much more complex problem   Quotes “I’m talking about women with acne. And this could be any aged woman with acne, so it really could be applied to somebody in her teen years, but this becomes more obvious when it’s acne that showed up either a little bit later in life or that persisted after the teen years despite treatment.” [1:56] “People with PCOS are born just more susceptible to developing a sensitivity to our insulin and that will drive this problem. That can be managed with diet, lifestyle, nutrition, and other therapeutic steps once you know what’s happening, but before it can just look like this bunch of symptoms that’s showing up in someone.” [8:02] “No one is looking at the big picture and educating their patients and saying ‘Hey, you have this condition. Here’s what it means to live with it and here’s how to keep yourself healthy over your whole life.’”  [11:13]   Links Find Brie Wieselman online Follow Brie on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram   Check out the full show notes here! Keep up with everything The Healthy Skin Show here! Follow The Healthy Skin Show on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram